CID to create National Arms Data Bank

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is planning to create a National Arms Data Bank to monitor legal arms owners and their activities.

The executive committee of the Bangladesh Arms Ammunition Dealers and Importers Association (Baadia) on Tuesday agreed to provide arms buyers' information of the last 10 years (2010-2020) to the CID to make all licensed firearms holder accountable.

Confirming the matter to The Business Standard on Tuesday night, Additional Inspector General of Police and Chief of CID Barrister Md Mahbubur Rahman said this is the first time the firearms and ammunition dealers have agreed to provide the information. They also said none has asked for the information before.

The information of licensed firearms holders will be preserved in the arms data bank similar to the National Identification Server when a shootout takes place, the arms data server will help us identify if it has been done by a licenced arms holder or illegal ones, the CID chief added.

He also hoped that the initiative will make legal licensed arms holders more cautious in using any fire weapon.

Welcoming the initiative, Baadia General Secretary Nasir Ahmed told The Business Standard that they had a preliminary meeting with the CID. From now onwards, we will submit all information of every licensed arms holder to the CID.

"CID has asked for the last 10 years' information. We have informed that it would take time and will submit the information phase by phase. And, after providing 10 years' data, we will provide older data," he added.

Wishing anonymity, a ballistic expert of CID told TBS that after purchasing a firearm, one needs ammunition to test if the firearm is okay. After testing, one will have to submit empty ammunition cartridges and the information will be updated on the ballistics software called "ABIS'".

The process will control ammo misuse and also help investigators in firearms shootout cases.